Explosive-engine



w. e. JOHNSTON. EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. I91]. RENEWED SEPT. 24..1920.

1,376,700. Patented May 3, 1921.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I z Z. 40 39 if 4;?

W G. JOHNSTON.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, I917- RENEWED SEPT. 24, I920- 1,376,700. Patented May 3, 1921.

-4 11 5 59457 Izgf attozneq W. G. JOHNSTON.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION men Jun: 21, 1917. RENEWED SEPT. 24. 1920.

1,376,700. Patented May 3,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

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Specification of Letters'latent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed June 21, 1917, Serial No. 176,083. Renewed September 24, 1920. Serial No. 412,624.

To all whomit may aoncem:

Be it known that I WILLIAM G. JOHN- 's'ron, a citizen of the United States, residiuig at Philadel hia, in the county of Philade phia and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

- This invention relates to explosive engines. It has, among its objects, to provide for driving the movable parts by means of either a l' ht hydro-carbon, such as gasolene, or a the fuel a greater amount of power than has been heretofore obtained, the present mechanism providin for utilizing the exhaust gases, in an eificient manner, after they have performed their work in driving the reciprocating pistons.

- Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation, partly in vertical section, of an engine embodymg my improvement.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the engine, looking at it from the right-hand, as the parts'are shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the engine, looking at it from the left-hand, as the parts are shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows two companion-pitmen and the means for pivotally connecting them to a crank.

The framework of the engine comprises a. casing structure having the peripheral wall 1 shown to be approximately octagonal, but of any preferred shape in cross section. At its inner end there is a plate 2, cast with a hearing at 3, and extending radiallyto aconsiderable distance: from the axis. The outer end of the central art is formed .with an open end, which is c osed, however, by a cap plate 4, carrying a bearing 5. This central art is supported upon standards 6 .and a ase 7.

To the central part 1 are the em. I gine cylinders 8, 8, 9, 9. Each cylinder has a main section 10 and a relativel reduced or narrower section 12. Suita le water jacket chambers ll'are provided. each of the cylinders there is fitted a piston 13 having a relatively larger part 14, and at the inner end anarrower part 15. Thepart 12 of each cylinder-is connected to the ceneavier hydro-carbon, in an im-' "proved manner; and also for obtaining from 15 of the piston. Each piston in each of the cylinders 8 and 9 has a connecting rod or p1tman'18; and the piston in each of the cylinders 8 and 9 has a pitman or connecting rod 18. Each pitman 18 is connected by a half box or sleeve 18 and a ca at 20, toone of the crank pins 18, 18". ach box half 18* is formed with ears 18. The pitman 18 of each of the pairs extends from its piston.

' to and is pivoted between the ears 18 of one of the pair of cars. The cylinders of the series, considering the series as an entirety, are each 90 degrees from those adjacent to it, but they are coupled in pairs, as aforesaid respectively, to the cranks of the shaft.

'The cylinders are supplied with an explosive mixture from a 'carbureter. The latter is connected at 22 to a duct 23, 24. This duct at one end communicates at 25 with a manifold- 26, and at the other end communicates at 27 with a manifold 28. The manifold 26 communicates intermittingly with the c linders 8, 8 through ducts 29. The manlfold 28 in a similar manner has communication with the cylinders 9, 9". Ducts 29 are respectively joined to the outer walls of the part 10 of each cylinder, and at their inner ends communicate with ducts 30 in the cylinder walls. Between duct 30 of each cylmder and the interior of the cylinder, are two ports 31 and 32. The en'dof the duct 29 is normally closed by a valve 33, which is held .in osition by a spring 34.

. .hrough the carbureter the ducts 23, 24, the manifolds 26, 28 and the duct at 29, bodies of air and of gas or of vaporcommingled together are admitted to the interior of the cylinders or the supply of gas or fuel may be cut oif at the carbureter and a regulatedvbody of air can be-supplied. r

If a light hydro-carbon, such as gasolene, is being admitted, it will, under theconditions to be described, be introduced through the port 32 into the explosion chamber 35.

For igniting it, there is a sparking device at 36, which may be of any preferred form. Each cylinder is closed by a head or cap 37. This is provided with a seat for the spark plug 36, and a passage or chamber 38, through which the s ark communicates with the main explosion dhamber. I

e engine is also designed for the use of heavier hydro-carbon explosive fluid, such as kerosene or crude oil. For the introduction' of this, there is a coupling 39, having a nipple at 40 for connection with the oil supply, a' needle valve or suitable control device at 41, and a nozzle at 41. This nozzle is shown as delivering the heavier hydro-carbon through the pmage 38 above referred to. The cap or cylinder head 37 is chambered and provided with a series of metallic points, ribs, or fins, 42, which may be integralwith the metal of the cap. The exhaust port of each cylinder is indicated by 43. It communicates with a short duct through the cylinder wall, and this in turn with a duct 44. 45 is a radial extension of the central part 2, 3, it being integral with the latter and with aflange or peripheral part 51. In it are formed seats 46 within which are fitted the vanes or blades 47, whichconstitute the stationary elements of a turbine. The companion and rotary element of'the urbine comprises the disk 48, having in its The rotary disk 48 is keyed to the shaft 21.

latter is formed with an The chamber which is encircled by a drum or ring 51 is closed by a face plate 52. The outwardly turned extension 53, fitted tightl eitherdirectly or by a bushing 54, to the shaft 21, and also i with the final series of between the rotary bladw and the stathrough 59. are

carrying the wall 56 of an exhaust duct 55. Between the wall 45 and the rotary disk 48 there is a chamber 57 which communicates tionary vanes 47 and also communicates through ports 58 In the'rotary disk 48 with 'the exhaust duct 55. v This chamber 57 also The current for the sparks at the plugs 36 is supplied from a magneto '61. The water for sup lying the jacket chambers 11 is forced through the ducts by theump 62. These elements, the magneto and he pump, areactuated by a shaft 63, which in turn'ls driven by a spiral gear having the driven element 64 and the driver 65'on the shaft 21.

The operation of the parts of the engine above illustrated and described will be read- ,hot. inner face seats 49'' in which are fitted the rotary blades or webs 50.

spaces or passages 'ily understood. Assume that the movable elements are to start from the osit ions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and that t e heavy hydro carbon at 40, 41 is shut off. The piston 13 of'the cylinder 8 is about to commence its 'upward'movement. It immediately closes ports 32 and 43; andcauses a suction in the lower part of the cylinder, and this opens the valve 33 and permits the entrance of a charge of gasolene and air.

' The gases entering the duct 30 and through the port 31 enter the lower part of the cylinder chamber. On the down stroke of the piston there is a preliminary compression of these gases, the valve 33 being held closed. As soon as the port 32 is opened the preliminarily compressed charge is forced through the duct 30 and the port 32 and into the explosion chamber. Immediately thereafter the piston, on its up-stroke, closes the ports 32 and 43 and compresses the mixture in the upper part of the cylinder. Then a spark is caused at 36, the gexplosion occurs, and the piston is returned downward.

These phenomena occur in each of the cy1- inders in predetermined sequence around the axis of the shaft.

- After a number of explosions of, the li hter hydro-carbon have occurred, the mettfilic ints, webs or fins 42 become white- %l8ll the supply of gasolene is shut oif by the proper valve and the heavier hydro-carbon is allowed to enter by the opening and adjusting of the needle valve 41 and the opening of the duct at 40. While this fuel is supplied, the spark at 36 can be cut off and the highly-heated points or fins at .42 are relied on for igniting the heavier fuel, air being supplied through the duct 21. As the piston '13 movesinward it opens the exhaust port 43, and thereupon the burnt gases escape from the cylinder. They do so under a still relatively high pressure. While still highly heated and under pressure they pass through the duct 44 and instantly impinge alternately upon the turbine vanes 50 and 47. Thereupon the disk 48 is compelled to rotate and transmit the force, which it receives from the exhausting gases, under pre$ure, to the shaft. By the time the gases have passed through the spaces between the rotary and the stationary vanes of the turbine and reach the central chamber 57, they have translated their energy into the. rotation of the piston and of the shaft, and finally escape into the chamber 57 at a pressure approximately that of theatmos- 'phene. V

In order to prevent a loss of power through reaction the fans or exhausting de- .v1ces at'60.-are introduced, and these cause drafts of air through the ports 59' and by suction insure that the gases passing through the vanes shall be through theport 58 into'the exhaust duct 30.

drawn out and forced points relatively near it, a series of recipro- The cylinders 9, 9 being in transverse planes more remote from the stationary disk 51 than are the cylinders 8, 8*, ducts 66 are provided between the ports 43 in said cylinders-9,9 and the ducts 44 in the disk 51. Otherwise the cylinders 9, 9 are relatedto the turbine elements of the structure in the same way as are thecylinders 8, 8.

I am aware that it has been proposed heretofore to utilize the exhaust gases from explosive engines by causing them to pass through devices which constitute inone form or another, turbine engines. l3ut I believe myself to be the first to have constructed the parts and to have arranged them in the eflicient manner which I here present. I take the exhaust gases practically' immediately, before .they can lose any of their efliciency through drop in temperature or drop in pressure, to the vanes of a rotary turbinedisk positioned close to the parts of a reciprocating explosive engine mechanism; and also the first to have provided means for insurin that the exhaust draft shall be maintaine even though the pressure of the exhaust gases is, in the turbine, reduced practically to that of the atmosphere. I effect this by means of a supplemental current of air brought to bear at the points of final escape of the gases from the turbine vanes.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with the main shaft and its bearings, of a relatively flat, radiallyexpanded turbine en 'ne having, first. a radially-arranged stationary plate carrying a set .of turbine vanes and formed with axially-directed inlet air-passages near-said shaft, and, second, a radially-expanded rotary plate carrying turbine vanes and provided at points nearthe shaft with final gasexhaust passages, the working paths among from aforesaid workin eating pistons and pitmen positioned in transverse planes close to those of the stationary plate of said turbine engine, and cylinders respectively holding said pistons and having their exhaust passages axially opposite and close to the outer ends of the paths, and constructed and arranged at t e1r inner ends to permit the free inflow of air throu h said passages directly into the path of t e gases in the turbine engine at the points where they are gas-exhaust passages relatively near said shaft and approximately axially oppositeto said air-passages, both said sets of vanes being positioned in the transverse planes of a shaft-bearing, a series of reciprocating pistons and pitmen positioned in transverse planes and close to those of the said stationary plate of the turbine engine, and cylinders respectively holding said pistons and parts, and withformed with outer, wider inner, reduced parts which are secured to the said framelike device,'and permit free access of air through the air-passages in the said stationary turbine plate to the interior of the turbine engine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

Gnongn E. EDELIN, Donsar Wmxnnson. 

